Seal for receptacles.



C. A. DUGAN.

SEAL FOR RECEPTACLES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 29, 1916.

1,232,248, Patentedlul ,1917.

2 SHEETS- am 51666 66 lizven'fow [232 728 12121; uiflwan C. A. DUGAN.

SEAL FOR RECEPTACLES.

APPLICATION FILED 050.252.1915.

wmw PatentedJuly 3, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W law-me 1 oonnnnlus A; DUGAN; or MOUNT VERNON,- NEW YORK.

SEAL FOR RECEPTAGLESI:

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July-3, 1917.,

Application filed December 2911916: srisin'b; 1391625.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CorinnLrus A. DUGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount "Vernon, in the county of Westchester and Sit ate of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Seals forRe ceptacles, of which the following is a specilication.

lVly present inventionrelates toimpr'ove ments in seals'of the class adapted to prevent malicious orunauthorized opening or tampering with the contents of receptacles. The object of" the present inventionis primarily to provide a seal of this class which is capable of effectually pi'eventing unaw thorized opening, either partially or wholly, of barrels when used asre'ceptacles or ship ping cases-"for goods or articles which it is desired to seal or prevent from theft or malicious tampering. The present ii'ivelition provides a seal :lor barrels which will we vent removal. ordisplacement of thebari'el head either in whole or in part, the device being so constructed and arranged that it maybe applied and removed easily and quickly by the proper authorities.

To these and other ends, the invention consists'in certain improvements, and combinations and arrz'tngements of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully describechthe novel features being. pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 isa perspective view of an ordinary barrel equipped with sealsembodyin the present invention. 1

Fig, 2 is an end view of thebarre'lshowthe seal app'lied to on'eof the heads thereof.

Fig. Sisan' endview of a barrel showing another embodiment of the seal applied thereto.

Fig. tisa view similar to Fig. 3, showing substantially the seal illustrated, in that figure. but arranged somewhat differently to provide for a barrel head made in several pieces Fig. 5 isan endviewof a barrel'showing another embodiment of the seal applied to the head thereof.

Fig". one side elevationof one endof the barrel" showing"the" manner in which the seal is' prefer'ably applied to the end hoop ofthe barrel.

Figs: 7 andS are detail perspectii e'views barrels of ordinary construction, and-certain embodiments of seals are shown in theaccompanying drawings and will be hereinafter described in detail. It isto be" understood, however, that the invention'is not restricted to the preciseconstructions and arrangements shown, as equivalent constructiohs and arrangements are contemblated and will be included within the scope of the claims;

The barrelshowmand' which is of the ordln'ary construction, comprises a body 1 composed of the usualbent segmental staves, heads 2 set" in grooves or recesses formed in the staves adjacent to their ends, and asuitable number of hoops 3 which bind together the staves and also retain the heads within the circular grooves formed in the staves. In some cases, theheads of the barrel may be in one'piece, as showninFigs. l and 2, while in other cases, the heads may be formed in three pieces, asshown in Fig; 3, or in four pieces a's shown in Fig. 4:.

The seal,-as shown in Figs. 1' and 2, is applied to the barrel by drilling a suitable number of holes at diagonally or in a direction slanting downwardly and outwardly through the bar'rel'head; the staves, and the end hoop of? the barrel. In the present instance, four of these holes are shown spaced equidistantly in a circumferential direction. Also,- a suitable number of holes 5 are bored or drilled through the staves and the end hoo'p of the barrel adjacent to the holes 4c, the holes 5 extending from the inner sides of the staves at approximately the level of the outer side of the barrel head, and these holes 5 also preferably-slope downwardly and outwardly. Four of these holes 5 are shown in the present instance, and these holes are preferably displaced in directions circtnnferentially and axially of the barrel withrespect tothe holes l. The

sealtas'shown inFigs'. 1 and 2, comprises a length of wire 6, the ends or extremities 7 and 8 of whichare secured together by any suitable sealing device 9; and the wire extends eoiitinuously in the form of a polygon across the outer face-ofthe barrel head, the wire at the apices of the polygon being twisted, as at 10, and formed into loop'sll i which extend through the holes 4 and 5 and lap the outer side of the hoop. Owing to the difierent levels of the holes 4 and 5, the part 12 of each loop which laps the outer side of the hoop will extend diagonally of the hoop, and this is an advantage in those cases where the hoopsare, as usual, made of wood, as the diagonal position of the loop relatively to the hoop will cause this part of the loop to cross the grain of the wood of which the hoop is composed and will thereby prevent splitting and unauthorized removal of the hoop. The wire is preferably applied to the barrel by threading its ends through the circumferentially spaced holes 4 and 5 in the barrel, the ends of the wire being finally brought together and secured by the sealing device. 7 I

In some cases, it may be preferable to employ a frame or spider to assist the wire in preventin unauthorized removal or displacement of the barrel head, particularly where the barrel head iscomposed of several pieces or is split. Such arrangements are shown in Figs. 3 and 4. s In these instances, a frame or spider is shown which is composed of a pair of cross-arms 13 and 14, these cross-arms being connected at their center or point of intersection by a pivot or eyelet 15, and they are provided at points adjacent to their extremities with openings 16, which openings are adapted to overlie the inner ends of the openings 4 in the barrel head, and those portions of the wire which extend through the openings 4 also extend 'througlr these openings 16 in the frame or spider. By connecting the bars or members 13 and 14 of the frame or spider pivotally, these bars or members may be setin different angular relations. For example, in Fig. 3, the bars or members of the frame or spider are in right angular relation to conform to an arrangement wherein the wire-receiving holes in the bar rel and its head are equidistantly spaced circumferentially of the barrel. This arrangement is satisfactory where the barrel head is composed of one, two or three pieces. In other cases such, for example, as where the barrel head is composed of four pieces, as indicated in Fig. 4, the bars of the frame or spider may be set at a different angle so that one of the bars will cross the barrel head sections at substantially a right angle while the other bar of the spider will lap the central joint between the barrel head sections diagonally. In this latter instance, the holes 4 and 5 in the staves,hoop and head of the barrel may be located to con, form to the angular arrangement of the bars of therspider.

In some instances such, for example, as where the barrel head is composed of more than four pieces, or where the head is lacking, a'disk 17 of relatively thin but tough material, such as heavy cardboard or other fibrous material, may be provided in cases where, the disk is used in connection with the barrel head, or where the head is lacking, the disk may be composed of wood or metal. This disk conforms preferably to the opening in the end of the barrel and is provided at circumferentially spaced points with openings 18 through which portions of the sealing wire extend so that those portions of the loops which extend through the holes 4 in the staves and hoop will lie at the inner side of the disk, and those portions of the loops which extend through the holes 5 in the staves and hoop will lie at the outer side of the disk. By this arrangement of the wire, the disk is sealed in place and it is held from displacement either in wardly or outwardly. The wire may be threaded through the holes in the staves and hoop and through the openings in thedisk and brought together and secured by the sealing device, as in the preceding instances. Preferably, eyelets 19 are fitted to the disk 17 and surround the openings 18 therein.

WVhere a spider or frame is used in connection with the sealing wire, these spiders may be collapsed so as to occupy a relatively small space by swinging the bars composing the spider into parallelism, as shown in Fig. 8. Also, by employing an eyelet for the pivot 15 connecting these bars, a cord or wire may be passed through these eyelets and may thus serve to hold a large number of the spiders in readiness for use.

The present invention provides a seal for barrels and equivalent receptacles which occupies such a position relatively to the bar vrel head that it is protected from accidental breakage during handling of the barrel, the wire being contained in the depression at the end of the barrel and lying close to the head, and rolling of the barrel will not break the sealing device as the convexity of the barrel will so support it that the sealing devices at the smaller ends of the barrel will not come into contact with the floor or ground on which the barrel is rolled. The disposition of the sealing wire relatively to the head is such that unauthorized removal or displacement of its parts, irrespective of whether the head is in one piece or in sections, is practically prevented. 'By looping the sealing wire through the end hoop of the barrel, removal of this hoop is prevented and, in consequence, it would be impossible to remove the head from the groove in the staves which retain the head in place.-

I claim as my invention 1. A seal for use in connection with a receptacle and closure therefor, the receptacle having pairs of openings therein spaced at intervals around the closure, and the closure having an opening in alinement with one opening of the respective pair in the receptacle, comprising a sealing wire extending across the face oi? the closure and having portions looped through the respective pairs of openings, the ends of the loops where they join the remainder of the wire being twisted.

2. A seal-for use in connection with a barrel having a head closing an end thereof and a hoop for retaining the head in place, comprising a wire extending across the outer "Face of the head and through the head and hoop to retain the head and hoop in cooperative relation with the body of the barrel, and a sealing device cooperative with the wire to prevent IQJI'IOVitl thereof.

3. A seal. for use in connection with a barrel. hai 'ing a head closing an end thereof, and a hoop for retaining the head in place, pairs of openings extending through the hoop at different points in the width thereof, comprising a sealing wire extending across the outer face of the head and looped. through said pairs of openings in the hoop, portions of the loops of the sealing wire also extending through the head.

i. A seal for use in connection with a barrel having a head to close one end thereof, and pairs of openings extending through the body of the barrel, an opening in alinement with one opening of each pair extending through a portion of the head and the other opening of each pair being located in the body of the barrel at the outer side of the head, comprising a sealing wire having portions looped through the respective pairs of openings and other portions extending across the outer face of the head.

5. A seal adapted for use in connection Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

with a receptacle and a closure, the receptacle having pairs of openings therethrough spaced around its periphery adjacent to the closure and the closure having openings extending therethrough, each opening in the closure being in alinenient with one opening of'each pair in the receptacle, the seal comprising a spider adapted to lie against the outer side of the closure and having openings to register with those in the closure, and a sealing wire extending across the outer side of the closure and spider and having portions looped through the pairs of openings in the receptacle and the openings in the closure and spider.

6. A seal for fastening a closure to a receptacle, the receptacle having pairs of openings extending therethrough at inter vals around its circumference adjacent to the closure and the closure having openings each in alinement with one of the openings of each pair in the receptacle, the seal comprising a spider composed oi pivotally connected members adapted to extend across the outer face of the closure, the members having at their ends openings to register with those in the closure, and a sealing wire extending across the outer side of the closure and spider and having portions there of looped through the openings in the spider and closure and through the pairs of openin gs in the receptacle.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CORNELIUS A. DUGAN. Witnesses:

FRANK KRoNrnLn, FRANK J. GALBINA.

Washington, D. G. 

